Zaheer Khan claims four as India take command India have assumed complete command of the first Test against the West Indies. By the end of the post-lunch session on the third day, the home team, who made 457 in their first innings, had reduced the visitors to 145-8. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, batting on 47, was the West Indies top-scorer but even his heroic effort seems incapabale of saving his team from a follow-on. Zaheer Khan with four wickets was the most successful bowler as far as the Indians were concerned. Earlier, contrasting hundreds from Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid helped their team post a more-than-useful first innings total. Sehwag dominated the West Indies for the best part of the first day on his way to a dazzling 147 (206 balls, 24 fours, three sixes). His record opening partnership of 201 with Sanjay Bangar (55) ensured that India made a encouraging start to the Test and the series. With Rahul Dravid coming to the party, scoring his fourth successive Test hundred on the second day, India were in a dominant position by the time their innings ended.

Dravid thanks Parthiv Patel for urging him on Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid, who scored his fourth successive Test hundred on the second day of the first Test, thanked his young partner Parthiv Patel for urging him on to his 100th run. Dravid pulled up with severe cramps while going for his 99th run but with Patel goading him on, he hobbled back to complete his 14th Test hundred. "I don't think I could have completed that second run if it wasn't for Parthiv," Dravid, who retired immediately after reaching the landmark, told newsmen at the end of the day. The Indian vice-captain was kept on drips for about six hours and take two bottles of intravenous fluid before he recovered. "He (Parthiv) really urged me on. I felt a little dehydration before tea but after that it became impossible to go on," Dravid confessed while thanking his 17-year-old colleague. Dravid now becomes one of only four batsmen to score four consecutive Test hundreds. West Indian great Everton Weekes, who scored five on a trot, and Jack Fingleton (Australia) and Alan Melville (South Africa), both of whom made four each, are the three others in this elite group. "I'm thrilled at getting another century," Dravid, who made 115, 148 and 217 in his previous three innings, said. "This is my best run in Test cricket and I hope it carries on." Talking of his 100 at Mumbai, Dravid said, "It's a slow wicket, the ball doesn't come on to the bat and you need a patient game. The heat doesn't help either. It was a lot of hard work for me as compared to someone like Virender Sehwag who just likes to blaze away."

We need to learn from the Americans - Harper Roger Harper feels that the West Indies Cricket Board needs to market cricket with greater vigour in order to ensure that the game remains popular with the new generation. The West Indies coach made these remarks in an interview to Kolkata's Telegraph newspaper. Harper told the paper that it was not just the satellite channels who were beaming basketball and baseball that were to blame for cricket's fall in popularity. "It.s not just satellite TV... Indoor games have become fashionable and, then, there.s the Internet. The distractions, clearly, are many... I.ve got two sons and I know just how difficult it has become to get them out of our house in Georgetown. To get the youngsters interested, cricket will have to be marketed exceedingly well. The package offered must be attractive. Perhaps, we need to learn from the Americans. approach to marketing," he explained.

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